Improvement in dies forcompressing and ornamenting leather



E. H. BREWER. D'IE S FUR CQMPRESSING AND QRNAMENTING LEATHER.v No.182,4.8.

Patented Sept.19,18'76.

llllllllll l MPEIERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHEH, WASHINGYON D C.

. UNITED STATES PATENT EDWARD HILL BREWER, 'oE CORTLAND, NEW YoRK,AssieNoR OF ONE- HALF OF 111s RIGHT TO M. STANLEY BIERGE, or sAME PLAoE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DIES FOR COMPRESSING AND ORNAMENTING LEATHER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [82,408, datedSeptember 19, 1876 application filed J une 6, 1876. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BREWER, of Cortland, county of Cortland,and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inApparatus for Compressing and Shaping Leather into Various OrnamentalDesigns and Patterns, which improvement is fully set forth in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings. V

The object of my invention is to compress and shape leather into variousornamental de signs, forms, and patterns for harnesses, and otherpurposes wherein ornamentation and forms composed of leather are used,by means of an apparatus which I will now proceed to describe andexplain. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents and shows arectangular or other suitable shaped piece or plate of metal, or-ofother suitable substance, of dimensions adapted to the size of theleather to be compressed and shaped, and of sufficient strength towithstand the pressure to which it will be subjected. 0n the upper sideof this plate B, Fig. 1, is made a cavity, matrix, or mold, of a shapeexactly the reverse of what its impressed form will appear in theleather, after the leather has been compressed therein. The depth of thesaid cavity is regulated by the thickness of the leather after it hasbeen operated upon, as hereinafter set forth. The object of having thedepth of this cavity so regulated will appear more fully hereinafter.The external edges of this cavity or mold (which external edges are morefully shown at s and 0, Fig. 5, which represents a cross-section of theplate R, the bottom of the cavityor mold being shown at o) are so madeas to converge slight 1y as they approach the upper surface of theplate, thus forming a dovetail-shaped cavity or mold, as shown in Fig.5.. The object of this dovetail-shaped cavity will appear more fullyhereinafter. I

Fig.2 represents and shows the second and middle plate M of theapparatus, corresponding, in general dimensions and outlines, to theplate B, Fig. 1. Through this plate an opening, D, is formed, thegeneral outline of which opening is made to conform to and follow theoutline of the cavity E in the plate R before mentioned, so that whenthe plate M is placed upon the plate R in the proper manner, hereinafterto be shown and described, the inner surface P of the said opening Dforms a continuous and unbroken surface with the said edges 8 and o ofthe cavity or mold E. The opposite sides of the inner surface P of thesaid opening D diverge slightly, or recede equal to about the thicknessof the middle plate M, Fig. 2, and the general shape of this projectionor reliefB is made to conform to and follow the shape of the opening Din the plate M, Fig. 2, into which opening it is intended to fit. Theupper surface A of the said projection or relief B is made to correspondwith, and conform to, the cavityor mold E, Fig. 1, the object of whichwill appear more fully hereinafter.

In plate M, Fig. 2, b and b are two'upright rods, extending through thesaid plate, so as to project from both sides of the same, and, upon theplate N being turned over, (for it is represented in Fig. 3 in exactlythe reverse position tothat in which it will be used,) the Said uprightrods 1) and b fit into the holes d and d in the plate N, and the holes hand h in' the plate R, thus combining and securing the said three platestogether when used and operated.

Fig. 4. represents andshows a cross-section of the said three platescombined in the manner last described, and for the purpose of being usedand operated, reference for explanation being h ad to the correspondingletters attached to Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Having explained the form and construction of the various parts of thesaid apparatus, I

will now proceed to explain the operation and I EErcE.

upon leather.

sponding to the opening D in the plate M, Fig.

2, and of such a size as will permit of its bein g easily placed in theupper or enlarged portion of the said opening before described, fit tingthe same accurately. Theplate M is placed upon the plate R, the twoupright rods 1) and b fitting into the'respectit'e holes I and h, andthe opening D corresponding to, and fitting upon, the cavity or matrixE, as before described. The piece ofleather, having been cut in the formas described, is moistened, so as to become pliable in the usual manner,and is placed in the opening D, and, after it has been placed therein,the plate N, Fig; 3, with the relief or projection B, is so placed thatthe said relief or projection presses upon said leather in said openingD, the two upright rods 1) and bfitting into the holes 61 and d, asabove described. v

It is not necessary that this order of placing the plates be observed,but the plate N may be first p aced upon the plate M, and then bothtogether placed upon the plate R at the option of the operator, thusaccomplishing the same object. After the plates have been so placed, andthe said pieee of leather is in the openingD,pressure is applied to thewhole apparatus by means of apress, lever, or other device which willgive the necessary pressure, and the-piece of leather in the open' ing Dis pressed into the matrix or mold E by the-relief or projection B, thesaid opening D answering the purpose of a guide for the leather into thematrix or mold E, the surface A of the said relief or projection B, bymeans of its peculiar conformation corre sponding in general to theconformation of the said matrix or mold E, as hereinbefore shown anddescribed, pressing equally upon said leather, and, by reason of thepliability and flexibility of leather, forcing it to assume the-shape ofthe matrix or mold E, thus receiving the desired impression andornamentation.

: The object of having the opening D in the plate M larger ,at the uppersurface of the said plate, as before described and shown, is that thesaid piece of leather may be cut of sufficient size to fill the matrixor mold E, after it has been compressed therein, as above described, andalso to fill the peculiar configuration of the surface of the saidmatrix or mold necessary to produce the desired ornamentation or formupon the leather.

The plate N is then removed, and also the middle plate M, the piece ofleather by reason of the peculiar conformation of the edges 8' and 0 ofthe cavity or matrix E, as hereinbefore shown and described, beingfirmly retained,-held, and fastened in thesaid matrix or mold for thepurpose of being operated upon in the-manner I will proceed to explain.

The object of having the depth of the-cavity or or mold E regulated bythe thickness desired for the leather, and alsoof having the said depthsupplemented or increased by the addition of the second and movableplate M, as has been fully shown, described, and set forth, is that thesaid plate M maybe removed after the pressure has been applied,

as before described,thus permitting the supertluous portion of theleather, which is not intended to be used,to remain exposed above theplane of the surface of the plate R, that the same may be readily cut,shaved, or pared 01f by means of knives or other suitable paratus,leaving the said leather of uniform and suitable thickness to be appliedtothe purpose for which it is intended. vThe said leather may then beremoved. I

The method of shaping leather, and ornamenting leather, by means ofcompressingit in an apparatus composed of a mold or matrix, and a stampmade tofit therein, I believe to be old but my apparatus, consisting ofthe three plat-es R, M, and N, with the peculiar conformation of theedges 8 and 0 of the cavity E, retaining and fastening the leathertherein, to permit of its beingcut, shaved, and v pared, and the depthof said cavity so regulated, and also the said depth supplemented andincreased by the addition of a secondor movable plate, M, with theopening D, for the purpose of leavingthe superfluous leather exposedupon the removal of the plate M, so that'it may be readily cut, pared,or shaved off, and the combination .ofthe said three plates, all made,used, and operated'substautially as and for the purpose hereinbeforeshown, described, and set forth, (reference being always had to thedrawings accompanying this specification,) I believe to be new.

Iclaim- U, The plate or die R, having the matrix B and perforations h h,in combination with the plate M, having the opening D and studs Z) I),and the plate N, having the projection or relief B and mrforations d d,all constructed and operating in the manner and for thepurposespecified. I U

EDWARD HILL BREWER."

Witnesses:

JOHN W. SUGGETT, WM. D. TUrrrnE,

